Case Study: T.G.I. Friday’s achieves a near-doubling of excellent guest experiences and stronger employee engagement with Service Management Group (SMG)

T.G.I. Friday’s International discovers the key to guest satisfaction and employee engagement

T.G.I. Friday’s UK partnered with Service Management Group (SMG) to address a core business challenge: preserving and scaling the distinctive “Friday’s” guest experience across a growing national footprint. To better understand what drove guest satisfaction and employee engagement, Friday’s implemented SMG’s Guest Experience Monitor (GEM), a brief post-meal online survey and reporting system that delivered actionable insights at both restaurant and executive levels.

SMG used GEM analysis to pinpoint drivers of excellence—most notably Overall Fun Atmosphere and server engagement—and helped Friday’s focus on table touches, menu recommendations, drink refills, and manager interactions, plus internal programs like Earn Your Stripes®. The results were measurable: guests reporting an “excellent” experience rose from 35% to 58% in four years, Overall Fun Atmosphere improved by 23 points, and a further 10-percentage-point gain followed as the program scaled; SMG’s insights were rolled out across multiple countries to sustain the impact.

T.G.I. Friday’s

Darrell Wade

UK Commercial Director